diff --git a/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/workspace.test.ts b/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/workspace.test.ts
index 91bfa9cf195..f5ef7c24c5e 100644
--- a/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/workspace.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/workspace.test.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ suite('workspace-namespace', () => {
 
 	teardown(cleanUp);
 
-	test('default configuration', () => {
+	test('configuration, defaults', () => {
 		const config = workspace.getConfiguration('farboo');
 
 		assert.ok(config.has('config0'));
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ suite('workspace-namespace', () => {
 		assert.equal(config.get('nested.config2'), 'Das Pferd frisst kein Reis.');
 	});
 
+	test('configuration, getConfig/value', () => {
+		const value = workspace.getConfiguration('farboo.config0');
+		assert.equal(Object.keys(value).length, 2);
+	});
+
 	test('textDocuments', () => {
 		assert.ok(Array.isArray(workspace.textDocuments));
 		assert.throws(() => workspace.textDocuments = null);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostConfiguration.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostConfiguration.ts
index 3249043416f..429746272f7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostConfiguration.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostConfiguration.ts
@@ -41,9 +41,14 @@ export class ExtHostConfiguration {
 			? ExtHostConfiguration._lookUp(section, this._config)
 			: this._config;
 
+		let result: any;
+		if (typeof config !== 'object') {
+			// this catches missing config and accessing values
+			result = {};
+		} else {
+			result = clone(config);
+		}
 
-		let result = config ? clone(config) : {};
-		// result = Object.freeze(result);
 		result.has = function(key: string): boolean {
 			return typeof ExtHostConfiguration._lookUp(key, config) !== 'undefined';
 		};